Stressed? Feeling overwhelmed? Why not give your frazzled nerves a warm, literary hug and melt your worries away for a while? This week’s Butch/Femme Fiction Therapy Thursday theme: Return to Hometown.
#returntohometown #therapythursday #butchfemmefiction #lesfic #sapphicbooks #amreading #bookstodon #readingcommunity #butchfemme #lesbian #lgbtq #lgbtqia
@lgbtqbookstodon @bookstodon @sapphicbooks
amreading
My Favorite Books by My Favorite Authors: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-my-favorite-books-by-my-favorite-authors/
I've finished: The Unwaba Revelations by Samitt Basu
You need to finish this trilogy to fully appreciate what Samit Basu did here.
Self aware and breaking the fourth wall, Basu's satire has allot to say about epic fantasy, heroism and the divine.
Some similarities can be drawn to the very early Discworld novels, but Basu doesn't pull his punches and his universe is full of tragedy.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2f93c2b0-34ac-4371-a783-b8b226561e70
@bookstodon @audiobooks
#fantasy #EpicFantasy #satire #amReading #bookstodon #AudioBook
I've finished: Brother Bronte by Fernando A. Flores
Reading Brother Bronte was a good, but strange experience.
Following the characters as they struggle to survive this dystopian hell-scape was riveting. The setting challenged me as a reader.
It is a very low information setting, media is suppressed, and we know little about what is going on, in the world at large or in Three Rivers itself. We know what the characters know.
As far as the oppressive regime in Three Rivers I found it novel and interesting to experience the dystopia this way, and the story progresses to a satisfying ending.
But, there are hints at supernatural elements to the story that just don't seem to connect, or go anywhere.
The Bother Bronte book within a book also doesn't seem to connect with the experiences of the characters. Women are treated very badly, but not in the way expressed in the novels within the novel that we are exposed to. Accept perhaps in the general idea that girls can rebel against the system.
I may be missing something, perhaps there are connections I didn't get. Perhaps my expectation that things make more sense isn't compatible with the author's intention. Perhaps doing your best in a bad situation with the limited resources and information at your disposal is what the novel is about, and life unlike fiction doesn't hand you solutions on a platter.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2848552f-dd64-4240-abc5-1e177d82c88f
@bookstodon @audiobooks
#SFF #dystopia #feminism #amReading #bookstodon #AudioBook
I'm reading a draft of @dilmandila 's THE BLOSSOMING OF THE BIG TREE where an autistic grandma must coordinate the defense of her #solarpunk utopian federation from colonialist invaders, and one thing I find really interesting is the "old person PoV" as a counterpart — with both similarities and contrasts — to "fish out of water" (think Luke Skywalker, Bilbo Baggins, and many many mostly young sword-and-sorcery or isekai/rebirth protagonists) for exposition. An older character's PoV can be a very effective way to worldbuild from the perspective of a character who has lived through upheaval and change, and can be particularly effective in near-future #scienceFiction like Blossoming where the distance between our time and the time of the story can be bridged with the PoV character's lived experience, as in this passing thought from the protagonist Adita:
¶The caller . . . was two thousand miles away in what used to be southern Tanzania. Even after all these years, she oriented herself by placing people in their old countries.
See how Adita, located in present-day #Uganda, thinks like us in terms of nation-states while living in a future where many of those states are gone, helping the readers in turn orient themselves geographically with the information? And it's such a particular effect that our mode of nation-centric thought, shared with this elderly character, is a faintly embarrassing throwback in the book's timeline.
And yet the book isn't ageist about this: Adita isn't just some grognard who can't get with future but very much at home with the new technology and reality, a resourceful, adaptive figure who's poised to play a central role in the survival of her community almost in spite of herself. I find this interweave of technique, character, and story fascinating and am eager to read on.
You can pre-order Dilman Dila's THE BLOSSOMING OF THE BIG TREE here https://www.ododopress.com/novellas/the-blossoming-of-the-big-tree/ or grab an ARC of the current draft with a BookSirens account! https://booksirens.com/book/BUG035E/WXLHD4W
One of the most annoying things about my Kobo is that the font size is so variable between books. On some, I have to increase the font size a lot. But then when I switch back to reading another, the font is comically large. Is there a setting I missing?
I've finished: City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett
In this final installment of the Divine Cities trilogy, we follow Sigrud, the muscle of the team, in what at first seems like an action hero revenge fantasy. Yet turns out to be so deep and meaningful, with so much wisdom woven between the great action scenes.
When I read City of Stairs it felt a little clunky, but by the end of this wonderful trilogy Robert Jackson Bennett has become a master of his craft.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/04d507cd-5289-4b46-b58f-dd4b965ac451
@bookstodon @audiobooks
#fantasy #SFF #amReading #bookstodon #audiobook
I've finished: The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
The Mercy of Gods starts with a group of scientists embroiled in some heavy lab politics. Then the aliens arrive.
Sadly, the rest of the novel continues to emphasize politics. Among the humans and with the different aliens, the questions are of relationships and power politics, not of science and research.
We have a group of researchers that never geek out about their ideas. When someone has a breakthrough it comes out of nowhere, there is no setup of gathering data, forming hypothesis, testing and coming to conclusions.
There is one character who actually tries to learn about the aliens, but he does so on his own and no one else is interested enough to have a conversation about his theories.
I expected something different from a novel about a biology research group that encounters an abundance of alien life forms and is given a lab and a research project to complete. Even if it is under horrific circumstances.
I understand the main dilemma of survival, resistance or compliance under fascist imperialism. But the lack of scientific discourse, geecking out or even curiosity among researchers is baffling to me.
Instead we spend an inordinate amount of time on who is fucking whom.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/727e8286-ed23-4fe1-89f3-c40c8bcef87e
@bookstodon @audiobooks
#ScienceFiction #amReading #bookstodon #Audiobooks
I #AmReading Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer. Been on my TBR for a while now.
-----
Mycroft Canner is a convict. For his crimes he is required, as is the custom of the 25th century, to wander the world being as useful as he can to all he meets. Carlyle Foster is a sensayer—a spiritual counselor in a world that has outlawed the public practice of religion, but which also knows that the inner lives of humans cannot be wished away.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/735ebd1f-2175-4658-ab5c-64841b99e30a
Stressed? Feeling overwhelmed? Why not give your frazzled nerves a warm, literary hug and melt your worries away for a while? This week’s Butch/Femme Fiction Therapy Thursday theme: Nursed Back to Health.
#nursedbacktohealth #therapythursday #butchfemmefiction #lesfic #sapphicbooks #amreading #bookstodon #readingcommunity #butchfemme #lesbian #lgbtq #lgbtqia
@lgbtqbookstodon @bookstodon @sapphicbooks
I've finished: The Scarab Path by Adrian Tchaikovsky
I had given up on Shadow of the Aprt after Salute the Dark. It felt like it was supposed to end there and I wasn't interested in reading more about war, strategy and tactics.
Now, more than two years later I decided to give the series another chance. To my surprise, I couldn't put The Scarab Path down.
The war aspect is sidelined in favor of the survivors stories, as they deal with their grief, trauma and injuries.
While the prospect of renewed hostilities hovers over the novel, the main story revolves around the mystery that lies at the center of the ancient city of Khanaphes, revealing more about the history of the world and it's two separate aspects: The Art & The Apt.
My only issue is that I hate the love triangle with Chay at it's center and can't stomach the fact that the Gestapo Fascist is the one who gets a redemption arc.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4c0fe32c-88bb-481a-863d-cbf9ed55b500
@bookstodon @audiobooks #fantasy #adriantchaikovsky #bookstodon #amReading #AudioBooks
I don't think I have yet finished a book in the recent "person finds themselves in their favorite fantasy book/show" trend, and I should probably stop trying even when it's a favorite author.
#AmReading The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer but possibly not for long. Honestly, with that title I shouldn't even have tried. She has a magic umbrella, Because of course she does.
Books I’ve Read Whose Titles Begin With the Letter A: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-ive-read-whose-titles-begin-with-the-letter-a/
I've finished: The Dying Earth by Jack Vance
I know this is a classic that had an influence on SFF. When I started reading I was also not aware how early in SFF history it was written.
But I cannot get over how one dimensional the characters are, or the dialogue. There is hardly any dialogue, the characters mostly make declarations rather than talk like human beings. (and don't get me going about the misogyny)
It was amazing to see the idea for The City & the City by China Miéville in a story published in 1950, but apart from some neat ideas, the level of writing is just so bad.
Mercifully it's a rather short novel, and I was able to push to the end, where the best of the 6 novelettes that make up this book awaits.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/98f64183-4954-47a5-89de-f27d99429319
@bookstodon #SFF #amReading #classics #bookstodon #AudioBooks
Books on My Fall 2025 to-Read List: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-on-my-fall-2025-to-read-list/
I love reading challenges that prompt you to expand your horizons but let you select your own books.
I've seen around the world style challenges before, but hesitated to join since I almost exclusively read SF&F and the books other members add to the prompts are a great way to discover new authors.
Lately I've found the: Speculative Fiction World Tour challenge on The StoryGraph. It has very good prompts and is open ended so no stress inducing deadline.
Sadly there are only 9 participants so far.
I hope others will also find this challenge interesting and join us on a world tour of the speculative fiction genre.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/073a9752-f06e-4dc3-bac0-4a36292dcb96
#SFF #ScienceFiction #fantasy #ReadingChallenge #TheStoryGraph #WorldTour #amReading #SpeculativeFiction
"While my bowl is still half full,
you can eat out of it too,
and when it is empty,
just bury it out in the flowers."
#SundaySentence and #TodaysPoem is from Braided Creek by Ted Kooser and Jim Harrison, perfect gift from a friend and former colleague.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b61ec0e7-e978-4608-ab79-fdff19985e0b
I've finished: Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson
It was hard watching Tantan struggle to come to terms with what was done to her.
It was interesting to see how the midnight robber helps her cope.
Add some wonderful aliens to contrast the limitless stupidity of the humans and you get a challenging and compelling mix of SF&F.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/078b070d-e3a0-455b-8ad7-36b3b562886b
@bookstodon @bookstodon@fedigroups.social #SFF #bookstodon #amReading #Audiobooks @audiobooks
The waitlist for “A Man Called Ove” Fredrik Backman at my local library has shrunk from about a year to about a month, so I finally requested a copy.
Isn’t it nice when libraries are able to dramatically increase their supply of popular titles?
It’s a title I’ve been hemming and hawing about for ages. We’ll see if I like it! In the meantime, maybe I should finally watch the film.
“You seem very unconcerned about this.“
“Man, I was not raised in the woods by Bolsheviks.“
“Are you a capitalist?“
“You should have asked me if I'm a fellow traveler before you kissed me, don't you think?“ Sam said, smirking.
“But?“
“I'm a librarian.“
“Is that a political affiliation?“
Sam considered this. “Near enough.“
#AmReading Old Time Religion by E.H. Lupton @pretensesoup
#Bookstodon
@bookstodon
I've finished: Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders
I learned something about myself when reading Lessons in Magic and Disaster.
I can read about wars and horrible dystopias and keep my distance. But a book about an LGBTQ family that is suffering from bullying as well as having it's own internal tensions is triggering for me. In 2025 this hits to close to home.
I had to find less stressful moments during the week to open this novel. I'm glad I stuck with it to its magical ending.
I love novels where the main character is researching a subject that illuminates the narrative.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/45a4a25f-74d4-4a09-aa55-df1c276dce1c
@bookstodon @audiobooks #fantasy #lgbtq #bookstodon #amReading #AudioBook
#AmReading At Midnight Comes the Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming. I usually like this series but am feel iffy about the theme of small town white supremacists. Having a feeling it may get very white savior-y. But perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised.
I've finished: The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
Well, that's it I've finished T. Kingfisher's audiobook catalogue up to 11.2025.
I kept The Hollow Places in reserve because it was the most horror coded of her novels, and while it is full of horror and creepiness, it also has Kingfishers human touch. Softening the hard edges with humor and self reflection.
Trust Kingfisher to write horror that I can thoroughly enjoy.
P.S.
As someone living outside the US, one of the most alien aspects of the novel is the constant angst about the cost of medical treatment. That is truly horrifying.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/828dc8ee-3669-46c8-84b2-7f0077ad2d05
@bookstodon @audiobooks #ScienceFiction #horror #humor #TKingfisher #bookstodon #amReading #AudioBooks